Jennifer Aniston's "No" Derailed Plans for "Friends" Spinoff

In November 2025, it was revealed that the iconic sitcom "Friends" could have had a very different spinoff if not for one major decision by Jennifer Aniston. According to the show's executive producer Kevin Bright, Aniston was initially approached to lead a spinoff focused on her character Rachel, but she declined.

This left NBC to explore other options, ultimately landing on a show that followed the life and career of Joey Tribbiani, played by Matt LeBlanc. The spinoff "Joey" premiered in 2004, four months after the original series finale. However, it struggled to capture the magic of "Friends" and was canceled after just 2 seasons.

Bright explained that continuing Rachel's story would have likely required the involvement of David Schwimmer's character Ross, given their reunion in the "Friends" finale. But Aniston was not interested in reprising her role. The producer noted that a spinoff could have still worked with Rachel taking a job in Paris while Ross cared for their daughter Emma back home, but that scenario never materialized.

In the end, Joey was the most logical choice for a spinoff, as his future was the least tied to the original series' conclusion. The other "Friends" characters had clear resolutions, from Ross and Rachel's reunion to Chandler and Monica's surprise twins. But none of the other five main cast members ever appeared on the "Joey" spinoff, and the full group has not shared the stage since the 2021 reunion special.